Category Archives: WhatIf?

Using whatifsports.com, I have decided to simulate the 2009 NBA Finals. Should be fun. The only manipulating of the sim that I can do is setting the depth chart and adjusting player minutes. I wish I could assign specific matchups but, I can’t. So here goes the 2009 NBA Virtual Finals…

1st Quarter:
Quiet game in the first few minutes. At the 8:34 mark with the Lakers up 7-5, Pau Gasol does what every Laker fan wanted…he draws a foul on Dwight Howard giving Orlando’s big man an early one. Much earlier than Magic fans wanted to see. After Gasol makes the 2nd FT, Magic come back up the court. With 2 seconds left on the shot clock, Turk misses off the glass. Shard goes for the tip in but misses and Howard rips it down. Rafer resets the offense and then misses from 16 feet. Howard rips down another offensive board giving the Magic yet another chance to score only to have Lee miss a little 8 footer. Kobe finally snatches a board for the Lakers in this miserable 62 seconds of possesion for the Magic. If the Magic want to win this game, they had better tighten up. Later at the 4:10 mark, Kobe fouls Turk on a made 3 giving him the And 1. With 3:33 left in the 1st and a 15-11 Lakers lead, Ariza is called for his 2nd personal foul and Walton enters the game. Only 26 seconds later “Kobe Bryant’s jumper is denied by Dwight Howard” sparking an 11-4 Magic run. With 0:34 left Jackson calls a timeout and both teams make personnel changes. Gortat gets 4 quick points with a Brown jumper in between to end the quarter.

Magic: 26
Lakers: 21

2nd Quarter:
Both teams start the 2nd colder than than the beer from the freezer you just cracked open. 3:45 into the quarter with the score board waiting for some excitement to happen and sitting at 26-23, Battie is whistled for a foul on Gasol. Both SVG and Jackson see the need for personnel adjusments. The Magic take advantage and go on an 8-0 tear until Kobe finally ends the run with a jumper from the wing bring the Lakers back within single digits at 36-27 with 5:14 left to go. In the final minutes of the half, the Magic continue their lead to double digits and head to the locker room.

Magic: 47
Lakers: 35

3rd Quarter:
Both teams start off the 2nd half with their starters but there isn’t much excitement. Kobe tries desperately to bring his Lakers within striking distance but the Magic manage to maintain their double digit lead throughout the whole quarter with it extending as high as 16 points and as low as 10…until the 0:01 mark. Turkoglu hits a jumper with 1 second left putting the Magic up 72-60. The Lakers call timeout and inbound the ball at half court. Vujacic shakes Pietrus and hits a 3 at the buzzard from the top of the key.

Magic: 72
Lakers: 63

4th Quarter:
The teams pretty much trade buckets back and forth for the first five minutes of the 4th. With 7:31 left in the game, Pietrus scores on a driving layup to put the Magic up 88-74. But don’t count the Lakers out yet…they do have a guy named Kobe Bryant. The Lakers go on a 7-0 run over the next minute and 38 seconds to come within 7 at 88-81. In that short time, Kobe recorded a steal, a 3 ball and a rebound. But the Magic respond. Shard hits a 3 of his own with 2:46 left to go extending the Magic lead to 13 points (102-89). The Lakers again try to make a run but time is not on their side and the Magic dribble out the clock and take home court from the Lakers with a 108-101 victory.